Section 141.3.11. Availability of records.

         3.11(1) Open records. Agency records are open for public inspection and copying, unless otherwise provided by rule or law. This agency also has possession of records which may be open records but which are copies of records from other agencies, which have been filed in judicial or administrative proceedings, or which are available in the state law library. This agency may refer persons to the originating agency, the clerk of the appropriate court, or the law library for those records. This ensures that the requester receives a clean official copy of the record and protects the agency against unintended disclosure of confidential information.

         3.11(2) Confidential records. Confidential records may be withheld from public inspection by the agency. The following confidential records are listed by category, according to the legal basis for withholding them from public inspection:

            a.                All records, including case files, related to the statutory functions of the agency, which are confidential under Iowa Code section 2C.8.

            b.                Records which are exempt from disclosure under Iowa Code section 22.7.

            c.                Those portions of agency staff manuals, instructions or other statements issued, which set forth criteria or guidelines used by agency staff in making investigations or in the selection or handling of cases which will be or are being litigated, when their disclosure would enable law violators to avoid detection, facilitate disregard of requirements imposed by law, or give a clearly improper advantage to persons who are in an adverse position to the agency. The agency also maintains some office or policy manuals provided by other agencies concerning the operations of those agencies. Some information in office manuals may be confidential under Iowa Code section 17A.2(11)(f), 17A.3(1)(d), or 2C.9(4) or other applicable law.

      d.         Records which constitute attorney work product or attorney-client communications or which are otherwise privileged. Attorney work product is confidential under Iowa Code sections 22.7(4) and 622.11, Iowa R.C.P. 122(c), Fed. R.Civ.P. 26(b)(3), and case law. Attorney-client communications are confidential under Iowa Code sections 622.10 and 622.11, the rules of evidence, the Code of Professional Responsibility, and case law.

            e.                Any other records made confidential by law.

[Adopted and published 10/26/16 pursuant to Iowa Code section 2C.9(5), effective 11/1/16]